Posts Tagged ‘inspect laminate floor’

Many of you enjoy doing things DIY (Do It Yourself). You have as much fun in a hardware store as some people have in a shoe department. And for those who truly enjoy DIY, the flooring industry has many ways for you to have fun. One of the most poplar segments is installing your own “floating” floors. You buy the tools you need, read the instructions that come with the flooring, and have a good old time. But wait, there’s more. There’s more you need to know that might not be included in the flooring installation instructions, that is.

When you buy a particular product, you’ll have no idea what kind of installation instructions are inside the box. Some manufacturers include instructions that are barely more than pictographs. They are a “universal” language meant to be used in multiple countries with diverse languages. You follow pictures, not words. Needless to say, some things always get lost in “translation.” (more…)

You finally bought your new laminate flooring! Congratulations! But remember, installing your new floor correctly is as important as — and maybe even more important than — the selection and purchase. You are paying cold, hard cash for that floor and expect the best. The installation should also be “the best.”

As a Certified Flooring Inspector, I see so many beautiful floors that have been “messed up” because of sloppy installation procedures. Every box of flooring contains detailed installation instructions. With the proper tools and a little training, it should be relatively easy to install laminate flooring. This is a do-it-yourself floor. You’d think professional installers would do it right every time. Well, don’t bet on it. (more…)

If you have a wood or laminate floor in your home, you must be aware that water is not a friend of your floor. You should quickly clean up spills. You should use only a DAMP towel or cleaning pad when you maintain the floor. And you should absolutely NOT use any type of wet-jet or steam mop on these floors! The story that follows illustrates what happens when excess water meets a wood-based floor.

I looked at a laminate floor that had been sold for use on two floors in a townhome as a “commercial” quality by a big box store. The homeowner complained almost immediately that she saw “bubbling” along one seam near the kitchen in the dining area. She complained for the next two years that more and more seams showed this problem. The installers looked at the flooring and said that the “bubbling” (what we in the industry call swollen seams) was from (more…)

Recently, I was asked to look at a laminate floor installation. The complaint came in as “cracking and chipping.”

When I arrived at the ground floor condo and looked around, I could see that the owner was meticulous. Everything was perfectly in place, polished, and well maintained. The floor, which was 2 1/2 years old, looked like it had been installed last week. I glanced around and asked to see the problem areas. I expected to find planks with cracks or perhaps broken corners or edges.

She took me over to a short hallway that connected the bathroom and bedroom. Then she pointed to a 1” angled gash near the end of one plank.

I asked her when she first noticed this condition. She said it was about 6 months ago. That means the floor was perfect for two years. Then a plank suddenly split open all by itself!

I know that a plank won’t spontaneously split open, but I removed the necessary tools and gauges from my tool bag and began inspecting the floor. I checked all the usual things: sub-floor moisture levels; end joint stagger; room perimeter gaps; and flatness. Then I used a five-power lighted magnifier to closely examine the damaged area.

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Meet Your Flooring Expert

Glenn Revere is a nationally recognized Carpet Inspector who has dedicated his life to the study, maintenance, and sales of carpets. He specializes in carpet, laminate, hardwood, and engineered flooring. Glenn consults for individuals, manufacturers, and installers.